


Three Gifts

by chantryscholar



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 11:10:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7312660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chantryscholar/pseuds/chantryscholar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke presents Sebastian with three gifts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Gift

Her first gift was one given when anger and grief still dug their claws deep into the pit of his stomach. He had no way of knowing who would take the contract, or that Elthina would allow it to remain, until the night she came for him. The woman towered over him, reeking of blood and sweat, her hand callused and dirty as it clamped over his wrist. Hardly like the noble women who would visit late, who wept in the pews during their prayers, she held the air of one used to misdeeds, of soot-blackened knives flashing in the dark, stifling cries to alert the guards. That was it then. It was his turn to face the slaughter, to join his family at the side of the Maker.

 

He would have called for the templars, if not for the small locket she dropped into his now open hand, before releasing his wrist. Her voice was rough, her accent marking her as a refugee. “The Flint Company is dead to the last man. I’ve come to claim the bounty.”

 

She sounded doubtful, as she looked at him in his chantry robes, but there was no mistaking the man who had put up the bounty. Not with those blue eyes. Sebastian finally allowed himself to breathe as his fingers curled around the locket. A gift, to his youngest niece on the day she was born. The anger reared its head once more at the thought--some mercenary, hands still soaked with her blood, claiming the locket as theirs to keep. The Fereldan soon cleared her throat, bringing him back to attention, and he fumbled with his words to say, “The bounty--of course. I’m sorry, I didn’t think the Revered Mother would let my note stay.”

 

“I took it after you left that day.” She said simply, unaware they made his stomach clench and the heat rise to his face. She had seen the dramatics then. Sebastian sighed as he led her to the door of the initiates’ quarters, asking that she wait while he retrieved her reward. Soon, a bag of coins clinked in her hands, the woman stowing it away quickly, as though he might change his mind and take it back.

 

He still held the locket in his hand, thumb running over the engraving of the outside. And suddenly, Sebastian was holding it out, candelight glinting off the gold. He couldn’t keep it. Even amongst the initiates, he knew there were thieves, and he felt ill at the idea of wearing it just to keep it from harm. The refugee could have it, sell it, whatever she wanted. 

 

Until those rough hands pressed his back gently, his fist soon nestled against his breast, the locket safely clamped between them. “I brought this back for you, Brother. It’s hard losing family. Harder still when you don’t have something to remember them by. Keep it.” The small bag was held up, the coins clinking against each other. “I have my payment.”

 

He tightened his fist over the locket, the metal now warm to the touch. “Thank you.”

  
“Keep it safe, Brother.”


	2. The Second Gift

Her second gift was given out of superstition, kept out of politeness at first. He grew to know of Hawke through reputation that first night, and then her personally as she came more often to the chantry. Now moneyed, she wept quietly in the pews as the other noble women did, hands clasped and head bowed while she prayed.

 

And soon, he was being dragged out of the chantry with her, through Kirkwall sewers, mildewy caves, old dwarven ruins, and even to a Dalish clan camped near Sundermount. How she managed to convince him, he couldn’t yet decide, but he followed nonetheless. That sometimes led him to the Hanged Man, where the drink would flow between them all, cards played and bets made. Hawke had a tendency of sitting back to watch, always keeping her hands busy with some sort of craft or another. 

 

She was surprisingly deft with those callused hands, and so she sat in the corner that night, tugging and knotting away at leather strips. Every so often she would glance up, to watch as Merrill and Sebastian, last elf and man standing at their latest game of cards, faced off with one another. He’d never guess that Merrill would be so good at cards, making even him sweat, but there she was, a serene smile on her face as she looked at her hand.

 

Hawke soon stood, patting her shoulder as she passed. “I’m off. Merrill, promise that you’ll play nice with Sebastian.”

 

“I’m always nice.” Merrill said, humming idly as she chose her next card. 

 

That earned a smile from Hawke as she moved around the table. “And learned too well. Isabela will be proud.” Sebastian jumped as her hands moved around his wrist, fearful for a moment that she would expose his cards to his opponents. There was no need to worry, and once she was done, a braid of leather circled around his wrist, fastened by a piece of carved stone. Hawke pulled back, waving lazily as she said over her shoulder, “It will guard your luck better than prayer will, I promise.”

 

Sebastian took a look once she was gone, a soft laugh escaping him. Leave it to a Fereldan. The stone was polished, brown with black discoloration, and carved carefully into a mabari head, cropped ears and all. He pushed his sleeve down, shaking his head as he returned his attention to the card game.

  
It was just a silly superstition. But he won the game, and as he returned to the chantry that night, he didn’t remove the bracelet, as he had originally planned. Having a guard for luck on his wrist wasn’t such a bad idea, really.


	3. The Third Gift

Her third gift was given out of love. 

 

They married the same day she became Viscount of Kirkwall. After everything, it felt wrong to put it off for any excuse either might have. It was a quiet ceremony, held in her estate rather than the keep, away from prying eyes and gossiping nobles. Their devotions declared, their marriage blessed in the eyes of the Maker and His Bride, and their friends were left to what food and drink had been prepared, as Sebastian and Hawke retired elsewhere.

 

Hawke shut the door behind him, sighing as she leaned against the wood. The years had left crows’ feet at her eyes, harsh lines along her mouth, and the short blonde hair was slowly turning to white. But she still towered over him, back straight as a rod, ready to burden whatever came next. The city had its protector.

 

And he had her.

 

“Sit down, Annais. You’ve been on your feet all day.” Sebastian reprimanded her gently, as he took her by the arm and lead her to the bed. From where they now sat, they could hear the easy laughter of their friends, the wild barks of her Mabari. A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth, as she rested her head against his shoulder, a soft sigh escaping her finally.

 

“Is the day finally over?”

 

He kissed the top of her head, before he lifted the black circlet away. It was heavier than it seemed, and clanged when he set it on the bedside table. “Until the next one begins.”

 

She slipped backwards from his shoulder, flopping back into the bed with her eyes closed. “Tomorrow the real work begins. Andraste guide me.”

 

“You’ll do fine.” He said, laying beside her. “Out of anyone, you know what real work means. You have a gift for it.”

 

That earned a small chuckle, as she opened one eye. “Let’s hope I can teach the nobility.” She sat up, hands reaching into the pockets of her heavy skirts. “Speaking of gifts. Told myself I would give this to you when the Mother declared us married. Your hand?”

 

Sebastian held his hand out, watching something red glint between her fingers before she slipped the ring onto his. Like her circlet, it was made with the same black metal, a heavy weight, made heavier still by the polished red stone. When he tilted the ring one way to the next, the Vael family heraldry could be seen, no doubt thanks to a mage’s cleverness. His heraldry, and her colors.

 

A good mix.

  
He thanked her with a kiss, smiling against her lips when she returned it readily, her fingers curling into his. The rest of the night was spent in ease and relaxation, both Sebastian and Hawke comfortable in the knowledge that now, they had all the time in the world with each other. And there would be no one who could take that gift away.


End file.
